Remember When

10 years ago (2013) •The annual closing of the city pool for cleaning and maintenance this year includes a major roof replacement project over the pool area of the building. “It’s quite an involved project,” said City Administrator John Call. “It’s estimated to cost $300,000, but like any remodeling project, it’s going to cost more than that. We’ve already had some things come up that we weren…

10 years ago (2013) •Nine years ago the area around Mount Kazemba in the Chifundo region of Zambia was scrubland. Since that time, First Baptist Church, Luverne, and a group of churches have sent teams of people to build a school, the International Bible College with the oversight of Gospelink. Student cottages, bathhouses, staff houses, classrooms, a clinic, gardens and a library are now in…

10 years ago (2013) •Area coffee lovers will be happy to learn about “The Bean,” coming soon to South Highway 75 in Luverne. Luverne High School grad Leah Radisewitz has purchased a coffee wagon that she hopes to turn into a permanent drive-up coffee shop. For now, The Bean is located just south of the McClure Plumbing and Heating business on the west side of Highway 75. … The Bean will offer…

10 years ago (2013) •A Luverne High School student recently competed in the Minnesota Grocers Association state grocery baggers competition.  Cory Stroeh, a grocery bagger at Glen’s Food Center, Luverne, was selected to advance to the state event in the Twin Cities based on his performance in a local competition. According to Sherri Thompson of Glen’s Food Center, Stroeh stood out among his…

10 years ago (2013) •The Palace Theatre’s fundraising drive for a digital projector received a significant boost from the Luverne City Council in the form of a $75,000 grant and loan package. At their Aug. 13 meeting, council members approved a $50,000 loan and promised a $25,000 donation to help fund the purchase of a digital projector at the Palace. Hollywood’s switch from old-fashioned 35-…

10 years ago (2013) •Bill Ketterling has been in the garbage hauling business long enough to remember when cities used dray services. In fact, when he started more than 40 years ago, he bought out Orville Kannenberg’s Dray Service. “Orville had the business for sale, and no one else wanted to do it, so I thought maybe that meant it would be job security,” Ketterling said. The term “drayage”…

10 years ago (2013) •Bob Collins of Minnesota Public Radio paid a visit to members of Luverne’s Last Man’s Club for their Wednesday afternoon coffee at Glen’s Deli on July 31. The result of his casual conversation with the group will be a write-up in Collins’ MPR blog, “Newscut,” which can be found at www.mpr.org/newscut. … Luverne’s Last Man’s Club organized in the summer of 2010 as an offshoot…

10 years ago (2013) •Luverne salon owner Diane Elbers is moving Hair Ltd. From 101 South McKenzie Street to 111 West Main (the tiny building with the “Vineyard Growth Associates” sign just west of the Manitou Hotel building). Elbers said that one of the best parts of moving the business is “that sign will finally come down. It hasn’t been Vineyard for years and years.” Elbers said the move from a…

10 years ago (2013) •More than 60 area children participated in the Missoula Children’s Theatre performance of “The Secret Garden” Saturday. Drama students tried out for parts on Monday, practiced Monday through Saturday morning and presented a full-length musical Saturday afternoon. In 2013, Missoula Children’s Theatre will work with 65,000 children in more than 1,200 communities in 50 states…

10 years ago (2013) •It takes dozens of involved staff and volunteers to run a county fair smoothly, but this year in Rock County, one loyal organizer will be absent. Floral Hall superintendent Ida Reverts passed away last fall, so this year, her co-workers are learning to manage without her. “I think anyone who has spent time at the fair in the past 50 years realizes that Ida was always there,”…

10 years ago (2013) •The Luverne Alternative School is no longer located at 110 North Oakley Street in Luverne. It is instead located in the main floor south wing of Luverne High School. … Alternative school instructors Paul Johnson and Nancy Swanson moved their classrooms to the high school building in June. School Board member Peggy Adams told board members at the June 27 board meeting she’d…

10 years ago (2013) •The Comfort Inn in Luverne is now a Quality Inn with a new look and updated features. According to local management, the name change is prompted by a corporate decision, but it will remain under the same ownership. The exterior has adopted Quality Inn colors—primarily gold and green—and the interior has new flat-screen TVs, new beds, bedding, in-room furniture and lobby…

10 years ago (2013) •A container of biohazardous waste — presumably full of used hypodermis needles — recently showed up in a load of recycling material at Ketterling Services. There is a recycling label clearly marked on the container, which also instructs users to dispose of biohazardous waste according to their hospital or municipal policy. This creates a confusing message about how it should…

10 years ago (2013) •Luverne’s Jazmine Olson was crowned Miss Minnesota USA Teen in the USA Ambassador Pageant Saturday, June 8, in Sioux Falls. The teen division included 16- to 18-year-olds competing in Interview, fashion wear, evening gown and on-stage chat. … Olson will represent Minnesota in the national pageant July 31 through Aug. 4 in Tampa, Fla. … Olson, daughter of Mike and Denise Olson…

10 years ago (2013) •Workers removed the 1970s-era paneling covering the Power Fitness and Print Express buildings on Luverne’s Main Street Monday. Luverne Economic Development Director Holly Sammons said part of establishing a historic district includes determining the historical status of various buildings. Because these two buildings, along with the Creeger building, were covered up in the…

10 years ago (2013) •Rock County Historical Society volunteers hosted their Buffalo Days Hoe Down at the fairgrounds Sunday afternoon under picture-perfect weather conditions. After a weekend of rainy blustery weather, Sunday dawned with blue skies, sunshine and light breezes. The Hoe Down, a fundraiser for the Historical Society, featured live music by Luverne musicians Ron and Jane Cote, a pie…